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Feb 17, 2014
"We are seeing the birth of a new perspective of the world, where ecology and economics are two sides of the same coin." --Leif Johansson
Smart Phone? Why It's Time For A Kind Phone
Looking onto the screen of his smartphone, Ted Smith, sees far more than advancements in technology and design -- he sees the faces of the many people whose lives are impacted by the decisions made during the manufacturing process. Each year, millions of tons of discarded American electronics are being ship to India, China, Pakistan, and other developing countries -- where they are sold at auction, and then painstakingly dismantled for the small scraps of gold, copper, and palladium. Day laborers are paid meager wages to perform this task, and in the process are exposed to deadly substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. But imagine, if these phones were designed with conflict-free materials, and encased in a shell free of toxic materials? Read more about a new 'benign-by-design' smartphone -- and Ted Smith's efforts to champion more products of this nature.
BE THE CHANGE
Before making your next electronics purchase, ask yourself - what do you really know of this company? And, what steps are they taking to protect both the workers and our environment throughout the manufacturing process? Use this as the basis for your decision.
